WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA) today issued the following statement after President Trump took executive action to commence a commission that will conduct a review of our federal policies regarding ways to combat the opioid epidemic and provide assistance to those suffering.
“Combating the opioid epidemic has been a top priority for this committee and we applaud President Trump’s decisive action today," said Walden, Burgess, and Murphy. “Last Congress, our committee’s investigation into the rise of heroin and opioid overdoses hit close to home as we spoke with constituents, addiction treatment specialists, and local law enforcement officials who have been on the front lines of this battle. We know all too well that this crisis is still playing out in our very own communities and the people affected are our friends, family, and neighbors. In light of the committee’s recent oversight efforts, we are encouraged that the commission’s review includes a focus on fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is increasingly responsible for overdose deaths across the country. This is truly an all-hands-on-deck effort and we look forward to working with the Trump administration in the shared goal of ending this catastrophic crisis."
Last Congress, Energy and Commerce investigations led to legislative solutions that ultimately were included in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) and the 21st Century Cures Act.
